Celebrity Name: Residente
New Company: United Talent Agency (UTA)
Primary Agents: Jbeau Lewis, Eni Akintade, Milorad Dragicevic, Nigel Meiojas, & Rich Klubeck
Department: All Areas (Music, Film & TV, Production)
Previous Company: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Territory: Global
- Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist Residente has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for representation in all areas, moving over from CAA.
- UTA will also represent his newly launched production company, 1868 Studios, which was founded in partnership with Sony Music Latin-Iberia and Sony Music Vision.
- Residente is set to make his directorial and screenwriting debut with Porto Rico, a Caribbean western starring Bad Bunny, Javier Bardem, Edward Norton, and Viggo Mortensen, with Alejandro González Iñárritu executive producing.
Multi-Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist René “Residente” Pérez Joglar has officially signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for representation in all areas, the agency announced this week. The signing marks a major move for the artist, who was previously represented by CAA.
UTA will represent Residente across music, film, television, and beyond. The agency will also represent his production company, 1868 Studios, which he recently launched in partnership with Sony Music Latin-Iberia and Sony Music Vision.
The company’s name is a nod to the 1868 Grito de Lares, Puerto Rico’s historic revolt against Spanish colonial rule, a detail that speaks directly to the kind of storytelling Residente has always championed.
The signing arrives at a pivotal moment in Residente’s career. The artist, best known as the founding voice of Calle 13 and for his boundary-pushing solo work, is stepping boldly into filmmaking.
He is set to make his screenwriting and directorial debut with Porto Rico, an epic Caribbean western and historical drama that digs into the realities of colonialism in Puerto Rican history.
The film’s cast is nothing short of stacked. Residente’s longtime friend and global superstar Bad Bunny will take on his first-ever leading role, joined by Academy Award winners Javier Bardem and a powerhouse ensemble including Viggo Mortensen, Edward Norton, and Penélope Cruz.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant) will executive produce, and Residente co-wrote the screenplay with fellow Puerto Rican and Birdman Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris.
UTA’s expanding roster continues to grow. The agency made headlines for signing Joshwa for representation in all areas and the signing of BradeAzy to UTA, signaling the agency’s aggressive push to broaden its global talent base.
Takeaways
This signing is bigger than a business deal, it’s a statement. Residente isn’t just crossing over into film; he’s doing it on his own terms, with a story rooted in Puerto Rican identity, backed by some of the most respected names in global cinema.
The fact that UTA is signing both him and his production company tells you everything: they’re betting on Residente as a long-term creative force, not just a musician with a side project.
The Porto Rico project alone would be a career-defining move for most artists. For Residente, it feels like a natural next chapter; one that turns up the volume on the political and cultural commentary he’s been making his entire career.
Could Residente’s move inspire more Latin music stars to step behind the camera? Could Porto Rico be the film that finally puts Puerto Rican storytelling front and center at major awards shows?
